pothole
Americannoun
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geography
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a deep hole in limestone areas resulting from action by running water See also sinkhole
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a circular hole in the bed of a river produced by abrasion
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a deep hole, esp one produced in a road surface by wear or weathering
Etymology
Origin of pothole
Explanation
A pothole is a hole or little pit in a road. Drivers complain about potholes frequently. If you've ever felt a little bump while in a car, you probably hit a pothole: a little hole in the street caused by wear and tear. Newly paved roads are smooth and have no potholes, but potholes develop over time. Drivers hate potholes because the little bump is startling, and a big pothole could actually damage a car. Eventually, potholes are usually filled in when a road gets paved. Potholes are also called chuckholes.
Vocabulary lists containing pothole
Look Both Ways
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The Circuit
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As Brave as You
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Drivers and mechanics told BBC Scotland that hitting a pothole can result in expensive repairs.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
"I was annoyed the pothole just ripped the tyre and there was no warning on the road," she said.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
They agreed to pay half a cent more at the cash register to fund buses, trains and pothole fillings in 2016.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
Voters settled control of roughly 40% of the local governments across England that handle trash collection, pothole filling, low-income housing and various other day-to-day administrative functions.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
“After twenty years of living in America,” he said, swerving the truck to avoid a pothole the size of a beach ball.
From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
